Over 13,000 Ghanaians Flee to Côte d’Ivoire Amid Gbiniyiri Land Dispute, 31 Dead
A deadly land dispute in Gbiniyiri, located in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region, has forced 13,253 Ghanaians to seek refuge in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka confirmed on September 4, 2025.
Speaking during a radio interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, the minister revealed that the figure was verified by both Ghanaian and Ivorian authorities.
The clashes, which erupted on August 24, 2025, have claimed 31 lives and displaced thousands across approximately 12 communities.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) initially estimated that over 48,000 people, predominantly women and children, were affected by the conflict. Of these, around 14,000 have fled to Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, with the confirmed 13,253 now in Côte d’Ivoire alone.
The violence, sparked by a disagreement over a parcel of land described by authorities as “no bigger than a room,” has led to widespread destruction, including the burning of homes and the chief’s palace, forcing families to abandon their farms and livelihoods.
Minister Muntaka expressed concern about the potential for food insecurity if the crisis is not resolved swiftly. “Many of them left their farms, animals, and food unattended.
If we don’t resolve this quickly, we are going to lead to a lot of food insecurity in that area,” he cautioned. The minister highlighted ongoing efforts to restore peace, noting that a delegation of Gonjaland leadership and the National Peace Council met with the Yagbonwura, the overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, on September 4 to address the conflict. “I’m very optimistic with the way we are working.
Hopefully by tomorrow or at least by Monday, we are setting up a committee to investigate all this and come out with a report on how best we can avoid this from recurring,” he stated.
To stabilize the region, the government has deployed over 700 military and police personnel to Gbiniyiri and surrounding areas. Muntaka reported that calm has largely been restored, stating, “I assure you that it’s calm now, it’s almost normal. In the past, we’ve not had even a shooting incident.”
He added that authorities are considering plans to allow displaced families to return home safely, particularly as the farming season is critical to the region’s food security.
The crisis has drawn attention to Ghana’s recurring challenge with land disputes, with similar conflicts in areas like Bawku and Alavanyo-Nkonya underscoring weaknesses in land administration and dispute resolution. The minister praised the security forces for their efforts, stating, “My special thanks go to them because, believe me, they have been overstretched. We don’t take their sacrifices lightly.”
Reports also indicate dire humanitarian conditions for the displaced, with some drowning while attempting to cross the Black Volta River into Côte d’Ivoire. At makeshift camps in Sawla, managed by NADMO and the Ghana Red Cross, displaced persons like Alhassan Osman and Agnes Dawuda have appealed for urgent aid, citing inadequate food supplies. “We left everything behind when the fighting started. Now we have nothing to feed our children,” Osman told Graphic Online.
As the government works to resolve the conflict and facilitate the safe return of refugees, the Gbiniyiri crisis highlights the urgent need for effective land management and conflict resolution mechanisms to prevent further loss of life and displacement.
